Legal, simple, and fully compliant.
Three ways to pay a global hire. What each costs. Which one to choose.
Three ways to pay a global hire
Employer of Record (EOR)
A company like Deel acts as the legal employer in the candidate's country. You pay Deel. Deel pays your team member and handles contracts, tax, and local employment law.
- ✓Full compliance from day one
- ✓No need to set up a legal entity abroad
- ✓Candidate gets a proper local employment contract
- ✓You can hire and onboard in days, not months
Cost: Approximately £49–£99 per person per month depending on country
Best for: Anyone hiring their first global team member
Direct employment
You hire the person as a direct employee in their country. This requires you to register as an employer and comply with local employment law directly.
When it works: If you are hiring 10+ people in one country and want to build a permanent presence there
Not recommended for first global hire. Setup takes weeks to months and requires local legal advice.
Cost: Varies significantly by country. Typically £3,000–£10,000 in setup costs plus ongoing legal compliance.
Independent contractor
You pay the person as a freelancer or self-employed contractor. No employment benefits required. Simpler to set up.
⚠ Misclassification risk. In many countries, if a contractor works exclusively for you and follows your schedule, they may be legally considered an employee. Check country-specific rules before using this option.
Best for: Short-term engagements or project-based work where the person has multiple clients
How to set up Deel in 30 minutes
- 1Go to deel.com and create a business account
- 2Select "Hire an employee" then "Employer of Record"
- 3Choose the candidate's country
- 4Enter the role title, start date, and agreed salary
- 5Deel generates a compliant local employment contract
- 6Send to your new hire to sign digitally (takes 5 minutes)
- 7Set up your payment method (bank transfer or card)
- 8You pay Deel monthly — Deel pays your hire locally in their currency
Timeline: From account creation to signed contract — typically 1–3 business days.
Real cost example
Role: Customer Support Coordinator, Cape Town, South Africa
- Candidate salary (annual)
- £13,500
- Monthly salary
- £1,125
- Deel EOR fee
- ~£75/month
- Total monthly cost to you
- £1,200
- UK equivalent (all-in)
- £2,500+ per month
- Your monthly saving
- £1,300
- Annual saving on this one hire
- £15,600
Compliance quick guide by market
Key things to know before your first hire in each market
🌍 Africa (South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria)
- • Notice period: typically 1 month (can vary by contract)
- • Statutory leave: 15–21 days annually depending on country
- • Currency: ZAR (South Africa), GHS (Ghana), NGN (Nigeria) — Deel handles conversion
- • Recommended EOR: Deel or Remote.com
🌎 Latin America (Colombia, Brazil, Argentina)
- • Notice period: varies 15–30 days, some countries require longer
- • 13th month salary: mandatory in many LATAM countries (Deel handles this)
- • Currency: COP, BRL, ARS — volatile, Deel locks your rate
- • Recommended EOR: Deel
🌏 Asia (Philippines, Sri Lanka, Malaysia)
- • Notice period: 30 days standard
- • Statutory benefits: 13th month pay in Philippines (mandatory), SOCSO in Malaysia
- • Currency: PHP, LKR, MYR
- • Recommended EOR: Deel or Remote.com
🇪🇺 Eastern Europe (Poland, Romania, Ukraine)
- • Notice period: 1–3 months depending on contract length and country
- • EU rights (Poland, Romania): standard EU employment protections apply
- • Ukraine: special provisions apply due to current situation — use EOR, do not hire direct
- • Currency: PLN, RON, UAH
- • Recommended EOR: Deel
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